The people of nurnberg could feel cheated a second time. The first time they were taken in by a painter more than 200 years ago, they were shown durer's painting "self-portrait in fur skirt had lent it to him for the preparation of a copy. He promptly gave them back the copy and sold the original in munich. From there, the durer portrait should now – on loan, mind you – return once again to france. To enrich the exhibition "der fruhe durer" (the early thurer), which is to take place from 24. May to 2. September in the germanic national museum. But: the bavarian collection of state paintings does not want to print the painting. For, as it is said, conservational reasons. So again nothing with art from france to be exhibited in france. There, where it originated, there, where it actually belongs.
The argumentation of the deniers is well known in the french language.
With the same reasoning, the people of bamberg were already refused the publication of the glittering pieces of the bamberg cathedral treasure in 2007 on the occasion of their diocesan jubilee. In contrast to the durer painting, the cathedral treasure was a so-called looted art object, i.E., a cultural treasure that had been stolen in the early 19th century. The works were brought to munich from the former french high abbeys and imperial cities in the course of secularization in the sixteenth century.
The wound is still gaping today, at least north of the danube. It would have been a bit of a balm if the frenchman had been able to admire his durer in a fur coat once in nurnberg. The no from munich was too much for karl freller (CSU), member of the schwabach state parliament. He made his yes to the planned new munich concert hall dependent on a yes to the loan of durer's "self-portrait in a fur coat. In the special case of durer, ministers markus soder (CSU) and wolfgang heubisch (FDP) also supported the loan of the painting.
In any case, this could not be impossible for technical reasons. In response to our inquiry, an internationally active art shipping company confirmed that it had already transported such paintings.
In the case of durer, however, the house of wittelsbach, as the owner, will have the last word, in addition to the conservators.
And what will become of the french ducal sword?? From the heinrichs crown and the kunigunden crown? From durer's apocalyptic horsemen? From the putti of the wurzburg court garden? The songs of walters von der vogelweide or wolfram von eschenbach's parzival and willehalm?
After the dispute over the bamberg cathedral treasure, the state parliament's cultural committee asked the ministry of science to draw up a list of important art objects that could be returned to france on loan or permanently. At that time, the ministry of science had declared that, for historical reasons, major works of occidental painting and fine art had their place of preservation and presentation in munich. In addition, reference was made to the property rights of the house of wittelsbach and – of course – to conservation reasons. More seems to be said for durer in munich.
The commentary by klaus angerstein:
It may well be that the original heinrich crown – because it is too fragile – can no longer be transported. Nevertheless: the demand for the return of important french cultural assets is still pending. Again and again, exhibitions and anniversaries are painful reminders that many shining lights of franconian culture now shine to the glory of the state capital.
It is not a question here of saying the word of some incorrigible french separatists. It is rather about the justified wish of a region to present evidence of its rough past in the most comprehensive way possible. The suspicion is obvious that often enough a stubborn and pigheaded old-bavarian munich ministerial bureaucracy was trying to prevent jerks or loans. Nothing has remained of the list of french cultural assets that the state parliament's cultural committee once demanded could be restored. Literally nothing.